Landon Donovan, Los Angeles Galaxy and United States National Team soccer player: “As a player and as a person, making the people surrounding you feel confident is very important for the team”. - (15/05/2010)
Last summer’s Confederation Cup was an excellent experience for the United States… Yes, it was. The biggest thing we learned was that we can compete with and beat any team in the world if we play our best (the United States defeated Spain, the number 1 squad at FIFA’s rankings at th... |
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Joan A. Samaranch: “I want to congratulate Brafa, so they keep their enthusiasm and sacrifice in helping forming kids. They know I have put them as an example to imitate”. - (15/05/2010)
Joan Antoni Samaranch started his collaboration with Brafa since the 60s, when he was the President of Barcelona’s Province Council, and he kept doing it until a few years ago. His last official visit to the Academy was in 2005 , during the delivery of the VI Fair Play Awards. At that... |
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Francis Obikwelu, European Record Holder of the 100- meter dash: “You recover from injuries by fighting and working. I still have strong pains, but my knee will be ready for Barcelona 2010”. - (31/03/2010)
It seems you are preparing a very special surprise for us this summer.
Up until now, I have kept it as a secret. But if everything works out well, I will be back at the elite competition in the 2010 European Championships that will be held in Barcelona.
And what are your goals f... |
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Interview with Blanka Vlasic, High Jump World Champion Doha 2010: “Winning is picking the fruits of a large effort. It is when you see in your mind the movie of many years of hard work”. - (15/03/2010)
The high jump record has been there for 23 years (2.09 by Bulgaria’s Stefka Kostadinova), ¿how many times have you tried to break it?
The truth is that I don’t keep track of my tries. My father is the one who keeps record of all my statistics. What I do remember is that in Brussels ... |
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Interview with Kim Yu-Na, Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games Gold Medallist in Figure Skating: “Training hard means missing going to concerts and to the movies; but it is worth it” . - (28/02/2010)
In Paris, during the first stage of the Grand Prix, you started your way to Vancouver’s gold.
Yes, after winning the World Championship in Los Angeles, the first stage of the Grand Prix was the start of my preparation for the Olympic Games.
You were not completely satisfied with... |
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Interview with Mike Eruzione, captain of the USA hockey team that won the gold medal in the 1980 Olympic Games: “The pride of that gold medal not only touched my life but so many others as well”. - (15/02/2010)
Thirty years have already gone by since winning that Olympic gold medal.
Yes, and I still deal with it a lot more than most of my former teammates do, perhaps because I was the team’s captain, perhaps because I scored the winning goal against the Soviets. After the Olympic Games the... |
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Interview with Ricky Rubio, Regal FC Barcelona’s point guard: “If a basketball team doesn’t have values such as generosity and companionship, it will never get anywhere”. - (31/01/2010)
The calm of playing for Barça is a reward for you after the summer storm...
To tell you the truth, I have felt very comfortable here since the first day. All my teammates helped me and I find it very easy to play with them. I knew most of them from before and I think we form a soli... |
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Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts Quarterback and MVP of the NFL: “It’s about talent, but also about being ready on gameday. That is why I prepare now as I did when I first came to the league”. - (15/01/2010)
You have won the Most Valuable Player award for the fourth time, setting another NFL record.
I am very proud and at the time grateful for receiving this award. I think it reflects what our football team is about right now. Working as a team to win the first 14 games, coming from be... |
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Interview with Vicente García, President of Futsal’s Marfil Santa Coloma: “In the process of founding a club, you learn to fight and to sacrifice. This makes you stronger and helps you improve”. - (23/12/2009)
Where did the idea of founding a futsal team come from? All my life I have had a weakness for football. When I was young I played the game and I even got the coaching degree, which I used in FC Barcelona’s farm teams. But because of my work, I had to leave coaching, but football was ... |
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Alistair Kirkwood, the director of the NFL in the United Kingdom: “In sports and in business in general you can never be complacent; the day you take this approach, you will stop your growth”. - (30/11/2009)
You should be really satisfied after one more great success: third year in bringing the NFL to London for a regular season and another sell-out at Wembley... Yes, I am. Our fans in the United Kingdom give us outstanding ongoing support and their reaction to the international series g... |
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Interview with the World Series of Baseball Most Valuable Player Hideki Matsui: “The way to success has been very long, but having a clear goal has helped me in maintaining the course”. - (14/11/2009)
Is it true you owe your ability to bat from the left side to your older brother?
Well, yes... When we were little, we loved to play baseball and I used to bat from the right side. As I used to win easily –my brother of course didn’t like this- I switched to bat lefty to give him som... |
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Nil Montserrat, formula 3's driver: “A good result compensates all the pains suffered to achieve it”. - (30/10/2009)
How did you start your relationship with auto racing?
I was 8 years-old. My father was a driver, not a professional driver but he raced and competed in rallies at a pretty good level. He used to take part in the Spanish championships. One day he asked me if I wanted to try out a kar... |
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Jordi Robirosa: “We are very close as a family. Sports have helped my children understanding the fighting and the discipline needed to achieve something; the joy of a win and the sadness of a loss”. - (15/10/2009)
Where does your passion for sports come from and how did you get started in the television business?
Since I was little, I was crazy about spots. My grandfather, who was Barça’s delegate of soccer’s youth categories, used to take me every Sunday to see those games. Then we had lunch... |
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Kurt Warner: “The secret for my success does not have anything to do with football. It has to do with putting the First Things First: faith and family”. - (16/09/2009)
You are currently the second oldest starting quarterback in the NFL, but you were not young either during your rookie season...
Of course not! As everybody knows, my path to the NFL was very long. In fact, I did not start a game until I was 28. In 1994, the Green Bay Packers release... |
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Filipe Luís, Deportivo’s Left Fullback: My family, especially my father and my brother, has always given me great support throughout my career. Without them, I would not be currently playing football. - (24/07/2009)
Are you disappointed that FC Barcelona finally did not sign you?
No, I am not. Playing for a team like Barça would have been a great path for winning championships, achieving great things, growing as a player and knocking firmly at Brazil’s National Team, but I have a contract with ... |
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Tom Brady: “When facing tough challenges, it’s very important to always keep a positive attitude, not stopping in your daily work for a recovery, as hard as this could be”. - (30/06/2009)
How are you feeling now as you prepare for preseason training camp?
I’ve been feeling really positive. Getting back to football is great and is a lot different than the training you do on your own. We have a lot of work to do as a team but I feel as good as I could possibly feel.
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José M. Terés: “I value players´ clarity and transparency, but the most important part for them is developing a sense of accountability”. - (15/06/2009)
How important was your formation and the ability to speak different languages for the job you currently have with FC Barcelona?
Formation was very important. Languages are a must now a day, and working previously with an agency which main language was English really helped. At Barça... |
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Álvaro Arbeloa, player of the Liverpool and of the Spanish Selection: “When the opportunity arrives for things to go right, the key to improve is the daily effort”. - (31/05/2009)
You are definitely a courageous guy. You left Real Madrid for Deportivo and then went to Liverpool without knowing what was expecting you in England. You had success, winning the Eurocup and becoming a starter for Benitez.
I have always been a person who does not like to think thing... |
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Don Garber, Commissioner of MLS: “Soccer is a privileged tool to collaborate in the integration and the formation of ethical values of many people in our society”. - (14/05/2009)
As Commissioner of the MLS, you need to follow closely your league, but you also have to use some time to watch some international soccer.
Along with watching MLS matches this week, I was able to watch most of the two UEFA Champions League semifinals. While I was disappointed for m... |
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Jackson Quiñónez, finalist in the 110 meters hurdles of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games: “You see results in the summer, but the hard work done during the winter is what really takes you to succeed.” - (25/04/2009)
How do you feel living in Spain, and how is life in a city like Lleida?.
I will always feel like and Ecuadorian, but I have adapted very well to the culture and its way of doing things and I feel very proud of holding the Spanish nationality. I like everything about Lleida, with t... |
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Mike Krzyzewski: “A crisis can be a momentous time for a team to grow—if a leader handles it properly.” - (02/04/2009)
What was the key to take the United States back to the top of the world’s basketball after eight years, leading the Redeem Team to the gold medal?
The players were excellent, both on and off the court. They represented all of us in a great way.
We know you would pass the merit t... |
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Vicente del Bosque: “We should teach them to obey, to compete, to improve and to be humble. With these values, they would be better persons and better athletes as well.” - (15/03/2009)
How do you feel coaching the Spanish National Team? Things are going well as you have won every game…
I feel comfortable. I am very proud of having the opportunity to coach the National Team and I hope I can fulfil the goals we have set. But it does not matter how you start, the im... |
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Iván Raña: “The planning is very important in the sport and especially in an event like the triathlon. It seems that the more hours you train, things would go better, but managing yourself is basic.” - (28/02/2009)
You positively surprised us in the last Olympic Games, getting into a group of five athletes in which the triathlon was decided. You were not the favourite this time, but you were so close to winning a medal… I was not the favourite, so I looked relaxed, although I was feeling the pr... |
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Pittsburgh Steelers Owner Dan Rooney: “Money means nothing. I never made any decision based on money. Values, integrity, character, and all of those things. I think are important”. - (15/02/2009)
How does it feel for the Steelers to be the first team in the history of the NFL to win six Super Bowls?
Well, I can just say we are so thrilled and proud to bring back another championship to Pittsburgh. It should also be special as the Steelers do things their own way, and money... |
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Xavi Pascual: “Practicing a sport is basic for the kids’ education. They learn very important values like friendship, giving, sacrifice, sharing.” - (31/01/2009)
It has been almost a year since you assumed the head coach position at F.C. Barcelona, how do you feel now?.
I feel good and I am really hoping things will work out. It is never easy to get a hold of a team in the middle of the season, but I think things have gone fine. I hope it wo... |
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Brent McAuliffe: “I did the swim to help my friend through her illness. I would do anything to see her swimming and running again.” - (13/01/2009)
On a stormy summer morning in July, Brent McAuliffe attempted to defy the odds by swimming the English Channel in terrible weather conditions. Despite it being the middle of summer, McAuliffe was forced to battle through freezing water, two massive thunderstorms, jellyfish stings and cra... |
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Chris Paul: “You have to set your goals high, because you can only get out what you put into it. That's what separates great players. Guys that put constant work and are never satisfied are the most.” - (23/12/2008)
You were one of the Top 5 players chosen in the 2005 NBA draft. What were your feelings?.
It was so much fun. Just being in the room with all of the guys and not knowing where you re going, it s crazy. Then to be there with your family, it s like the people you love can all witness ... |
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Phil Vickery: “Reaching the top is a matter of effort. It does not happen overnight. You must work very hard every day.” - (30/11/2008)
Phil… You are 32 years old and some critics have suggested you are in decline. Yet you are still in the England team and a key player for your club, London Wasps. How do you feel at this stage of your career?.
I can honestly say I am genuinely enjoying my rugby more than I ever have... |
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Charlie Manuel: “A winner as someone who achieved what he pursued.” - (11/11/2008)
Well, how does it feel winning the World Series of baseball?.
It feels great to be a world champion, but to win the World Series a lot of things have to fall right for you. You have to play good, but a lot of things need to go your way, so it is a combination of consistency and ... |
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Tim Tebow: “More than being a great American football player, I want to be a role model for people especially for the kids.” - (20/10/2008)
When head coach Urban Meyer told you that you would be the starting quarterback, he definitely gave you a tough job. You had to take the leadership of a team that had just won the National championship.
Yes it was, but everybody helped me in getting settled in. I talked to a lot of... |
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Ignacio Rodríguez: “Great young athletes do not realize the importance of gaining an academic formation” - (27/09/2008)
You started playing with Málaga’s Mayoral Maristas, ¿was that your school team? No, it was not. I played for Marista, but studied in the same city at San Estanislao de Kostka School with the Jesuits.
How did you go from Mayoral Maristas to become one of the top players in the ACB l... |
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Javier Rodríguez: “If you are facing a challenge, and you do it with excitement, you would deliver above expectations” - (08/06/2008)
Currently many Spanish kids play futsal (5-on-5 soccer), but when you were growing up that was not the case. No, not at all. In fact, I started playing regular soccer (11-on-11) like every other kid. When I was 16, I made a huge decision in my life when I was offered to play futsal at ... |
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Adrian Hanauer: “We want players who are not only good on the pitch, but are good citizens in this community” - (08/05/2008)
How did you get caught by soccer in a country like the United Status where it is not the most popular sport? My father was German, so the three boys were involved in more traditionally European sports: skiing, tennis, soccer. I was a very good youth player until I was about 15, so ... |
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Rafael Márquez: “There are for sure some values directly attached to our national team like humility and sacrifice” - (11/04/2008)
How did you get started in the game? It comes from my family. As every Mexican kid I followed this great sport. I played with my friends, saw the games… I was very lucky to live close to it at home, because my father played soccer professionally at a very high level. He played for seve... |
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Jack Bicknell: “Pressure for losing a game? No, I don’t have it. Pressure comes when one of your kids is sick.” - (14/03/2008)
Bicknell was the only head coach of the professional Spanish American football club Barcelona Dragons. He led the Catalan team to winning one World Bowl and qualified five times to the playoffs in less than five years. “Cowboy Jack”, as they called him for his love for country music and... |
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Juan Carlos Navarro: “My move to the NBA will leave me better-equipped and a better person”. - (10/10/2007)
Immediately after coming second in The Euroleague, Navarro (‘La Bomba’) will once again join forces with his great friend Pau Gasol, who left to play for Navarro’s new team, the Memphis Grizzlies, 6 years ago. This adventure motivates him; in particular, excitement about such a radical ... |
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Liu Xiang: “What I would like is to be able to keep my private life as it was”. - (01/09/2007)
You arrived in Osaka as one of the candidates widely regarded to take gold. Were your own expectations the same? If I’m honest, no. I didn’t have any expectation in particular. It wasn’t the first time I had competed at a World Championship so I simply went with the intention of doing ... |
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Ettore Messina: “More than personal goals or triumphs, what matters is the people you work with”. - (20/06/2007)
Where do you see European basketball going? I’m not sure where it’s headed but I very much like the Euroleague. It is a well-organized competition where you see good basketball, a good level of refereeing and where you can win away from home if you play a good game.
But the best... |
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Inge de Bruijn: “Talent isn’t enough. You have to work very hard to achieve your goals”. - (14/12/2006)
How did you get ‘hooked’ on swimming? I used to practise horse-riding, swimming, water-polo and ballet. I never thought of being Olympic champion. In fact, my dream was to be an air-stewardess. I had never flown because my mother didn’t have much money. She brought up 4 children alone.... |
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Paul Tergat: “Athletics is a part of my life but not my whole life" - (16/06/2006)
You have had a long and illustrious professional career. How do you maintain your desire to achieve new goals? When you have a passion, something you have always loved, one of the most important things is that you feel happy doing what you love. Personally, I love running and sport for... |
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Kip Keino: “The satisfaction of living in harmony and friendship is better than winning Olympic medals”. - (16/05/2006)
What are the most significant values you learnt during your career as an athlete? From sport I have learnt the responsibility for helping the younger generations in both my own country and all over the world. Many young people frequently ask me how I came to be a good runner and my obj... |
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Andrei Sxepkin: “I used to get paid for playing. Now, I’d pay to play”. - (30/03/2006)
How were you encouraged to practise sport in your native Ukraine? Things have changed, but before, sport there was heavily politicized and very much focussed on promoting the country. Coming second in any sport was a failure. If you lost a final or won a bronze medal, it wasn’t worth a... |
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Josep Lluis Vilaseca: “Sportsmen and women have a great moral and educational responsibility”. - (14/03/2006)
What is the unshakeable law of sport? Rule number 1 in sport is that it is an activity, competitive or otherwise, which should bring people together in brotherhood. True sport should have a healthy spirit of generosity and social integration.
What is the leit-motif which has ... |
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Benito Eufemia: “Sport was my escape valve in prison”. - (01/03/2006)
Is sport something vital for you? For me, it’s a way of knowing how to live. Thanks to sport, I have been able to rebuild my life because after all the years I spent in prison, I wouldn’t have been able to get back into the society which we all take for granted nowadays. At the end of ... |
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Sylvinho: “For a team to make a lasting impression, you need humble players.” - (30/01/2006)
It must be difficult to treat people naturally when you are a world-class sportsman and many fans want to get a close look at you. However, you have a reputation for being very approachable. How do you do it?
When you try to understand and put yourself in the position of others, eve... |
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Xesco Espar: “If you don’t have the values of comradeship and sacrifice, you are not truly practising sport” - (02/11/2005)
A life dedicated to sport. Why do you study sport for so many hours? I think everyone has a talent in this life and they have to exploit it to the maximum and not keep it to yourself. I think one of the talents I have is explaining things and helping people to improve. At present, I’m ... |
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Joseph Antoni Pujante: “If you make a solid start with moral values in sport, they stay with you your whole life.” - (28/07/2005)
What can the mountain teach us? Everything. It is a school of life. All sports oblige us to set goals but mountaineering is more than sport. Football, basketball, skiing and tennis, for example, are all physical activities. But mountaineering also has a spiritual component, almost myst... |
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Oleguer Presas: “I think it’s of fundamental importance that young sportspeople study”. - (09/05/2005)
Oleguer, you seem to be a very normal person in a world of privileged stars. Is it hard for you to be in this situation? No, no. I carry on acting as I have always acted, do the same things I have always done and never lose sight of who my people are. Obviously, with this kind of life,... |
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